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What can I do about the yellow lawn spots where my dog pees?

Q: I am so glad to see the grass getting green at last! Well, mostly green… what can I do about those dog urine scald spots in my lawn?

A: First of all, be sure your dog is to blame! Grubs that attack grass roots can make yellow patches too. Tug on the grass – if the roots are damaged, it comes up in your hand; that means grubs. If the roots are OK, then it could be dog pee.

There are three factors of dog urine that can damage your grass:

Concentration – Urine has dissolved materials and salts at a much higher concentration than in the blood. This means it is like watering your lawn with sea water

pH – dog urine should be on the acid side; if it is more alkaline, from dietary causes or from infection, it hurts the grass more.

.NITROGEN – the main purpose of pee is to get nitrogen wastes out of the body. Just like too much nitrogen fertilizer can “burn” your grass, so can nitrogen-rich pee (on the plus side, the grass around the yellow patch tends to be a well-fertilized extra green colour!)

So, what to do?

Help the grass

Dilution – douse the area with a hose or bucket right after your dog pees

Buffering – sprinkle the lawn with phosphorous-rich material to balance out the nitrogen-rich pee: grass clippings mulched back into the lawn, compost, peat moss, wood ash

Avoid the grass – make a dog toilet area of mulch or gravel (here is my Isora in ours!)

Change the urine

Produce more dilute urine – use moisture-rich foods ie canned food or soaked kibble. Tricks to make the dog drink more, like adding salty tomato juice to the food, are not a good idea if the dog has heart or kidney issues.

Feed to produce the normal acid pH – animal-based protein produces an acidic urine. Plant-based protein (eg cereal based) makes a more alkaline urine. Keep in mind that if the urine suddenly burns more without a change in diet, a urinary infection could be to blame – get your dog checked by the vet!

Bind up the nitrogen – Dog Rocks (dogrockscanada) are volcanic rocks that you add to your dog’s drinking water, that provide nitrogen-binding minerals. Lawn Guard dog treats (drsfostersmith) contain extracts of the yucca plant that bind up nitrogen in the urine.